The first phase of a multi-phase consultation process regarding the replacement of the George Massey Tunnel will begin next week, the B.C. government announced this morning.

The province intends to use a variety of methods to gather input from the public and other stakeholders, including five public open houses, stakeholder meetings and online engagement.

“We’re looking forward to public input from all over the region,” said Mary Polak, minister of transportation and infrastructure. “This input will help us develop a solution that will address congestion and improve reliability for commuters and businesses that rely on the Highway 99 corridor.”

The following tunnel replacement project open houses will be held to allow public input into the process:

The George Massey Tunnel, which opened in 1959 and now carries 80,000 vehicles daily, has an estimated useful remaining life of between 10 and 15 years. The province said it is beginning the replacement planning process now because it will take about a decade to plan and construct a project of this magnitude.